Last month, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey joined Hy-Line International senior staff in the dedication of the Dr. Dennis Casey Research Farm. The group gathered for the official ribbon cutting and during the dedication, Dr. Dennis Casey was presented with a plaque honoring his time and success as president at Hy-Line International. Following the ceremony, Secretary Northey was given a tour inside the house.

The new research farm is an important project in Hy-Line International's continued expansion plan. The Dr. Dennis Casey Research Farm has all state-of-art equipment and technology including a new computerized monitoring system, heated floors, a manure-drying system, poultry-specific LED lighting, a modernized ventilation system and fire-proof insulated metal panel walls to minimize energy consumption.

The farm is located on an isolated 160 acre site that includes both clean and dirty roads, an independent cleaning and disinfection station and many other measures to ensure a high level of biosecurity.

Dr. Neil O'Sullivan, Director of Research and Development, explains, "The investment in the Dr. Dennis Casey Research Farm affords Hy-Line scientists data to 90 weeks on all our lines to ensure accelerated rates of genetic progress in persistency of rate of lay and egg shell quality selections.

Persistency of lay and egg shell quality show higher genetic variation at older ages so this information will help ensure continued genetic progress. The extended cycles also couple well with our genomics program allowing unique mating strategies to enhance genetic variation."